Bucs 2024 Free Agency Tracker – UPDATED

With the Bucs re-signing Pro Bowl wide receiver Mike Evans, Pro Bowl quarterback Baker Mayfield and kicker Chase McLaughlin, as well as using the franchise tag on All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr., the team’s attention turns to re-signing legendary inside linebacker Lavonte David.

While we are not ruling out the team making an offer to a value-type free agent prior to Wednesday’s official start of free agency, it’s expected that Tampa Bay will be patient and sit out the initial wave of free agency for the first couple days. When the dust settles and the big money is spent, the Bucs will be looking for Tier 2-type free agents that can be had at a bargain.

Think of the one-year, prove-it deals general manager Jason Licht did with outside linebacker Shaq Barrett ($5 million in 2019) and Mayfield ($4 million in 2023). Those are the types of deals Licht and the team will be pursuing this offseason.

BUCS RE-SIGNINGS

K Chase McLaughlin – three-year deal worth $12 million
QB Baker Mayfield – three-year deal worth at least $100 million with $50 million in guaranteed money
OT Brandon Walton – one-year deal worth $985,000
WR Deven Thompkins – one-year deal worth $985,000
FS Antoine Winfield Jr. – one-year deal worth $17.123 million via the franchise tag
WR Mike Evans – two-year deal worth at least $41 million

BUCS NEW ADDITIONS IN FREE AGENCY

None to report yet.

TAMPA BAY’S SALARY CAP ROOM

According to OverTheCap.com, the Bucs have $14,798,670 in available cap space after the re-signings of Mike Evans and Baker Mayfield, but before re-signing Chase McLaughlin.

BUCS REMAINING FREE AGENTS

Here is a list of the remaining Bucs free agents. Inside linebacker Devin White, strong safety Ryan Neal and left guard Matt Feiler are not expected to be re-signed by Tampa Bay – and there could be others who don’t return as well.

ILB Lavonte David
ILB Devin White
DT Greg Gaines
DT Will Gholston
LG Matt Feiler
LG Aaron Stinnie
SS Ryan Neal
RB Chase Edmonds
LS Zach Triner
WR David Moore
DT Pat O’Connor
OLB Cam Gill
QB John Wolford
CB Dee Delaney
G-C Nick Leverett
OT Justin Skule

CONTRACT RESTRUCTURES / CAP CASUALTIES

None to report yet, but expect contract restructures to happen this week for players with high 2024 base salaries like defensive tackle Vita Vea ($15.5 million) and cornerback Jamel Dean ($12 million).

Tampa Bay also expected to release wide receiver Russell Gage, which will free up $6.448 million in cap room, and could cut or trade cornerback Carlton Davis III, who has a $14 million base salary and is entering the final year of his contract at age 28.

Tampa Bay can also create more cap room this offseason by doing long-term contract extensions with Pro Bowl left tackle Tristan Wirfs and All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and lowering the first-year base salary for each of those players.

The team picked up Wirfs’ fifth-year option for 2024, so he’s currently under contract for $18.244 million in base salary and has a current cap hit of $18,606,582, which includes a prorated amount from his signing bonus back in 2020. The franchise tag amount for Winfield is $17.123 million in 2024.

TAMPA BAY’S 2024 PERSONNEL NEEDS

With quarterback Baker Mayfield, wide receiver Mike Evans, safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and kicker Chase McLaughlin back in the fold for 2024, the team still has some pressing personnel needs to address this offseason. Free agency begins now, followed by the 2024 NFL Draft, and Tampa Bay’s needs happen to align perfectly with the strength and depth of certain positions in free agency.

Outside Linebacker

The Bucs have moved on from aging veteran Shaq Barrett and could use another, better pass rusher to start opposite YaYa Diaby, who had a promising rookie year and led the team with 7.5 sacks. Tampa Bay is not expected to go big-game hunting for the top edge rushers in free agency, but could target value-type players like New England’s Josh Uche or Miami’s Andrew Van Ginkel instead. Or the team could always draft another outside linebacker next month.

In-house options to replace Barrett include former first-round pick Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, who is entering a contract year, veteran reserve Anthony Nelson and second-year players Markees Watts and Jose Ramirez, who have the team excited about their potential.

Left Guard

With Tampa Bay not re-signing Matt Feiler and looking for an upgrade over Aaron Stinnie, left guard is a priority this offseason. The Bucs invested over $30 million per year into Mayfield and need to do a better job of protecting him in 2024. There are some free agent options, but the 2024 NFL Draft is deep at guard. Duke’s Graham Barton is currently the pick for Tampa Bay in Pewter Report’s latest Bucs mock draft.

Center

The Bucs could use an upgrade over Robert Hainsey, who has been average at best as the team’s starting center for the past two seasons. There has been a big drop off in talent from Ryan Jensen, who suffered a career-ending knee injury in training camp back in 2022, and Hainsey.

Free agency happens to be loaded at the position with former Rams center Brian Allen and Titans center Aaron Brewer being possibilities. There are also several quality centers in the 2024 NFL Draft, starting with Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson, and even Duke’s Graham Barton, who can play center and guard at the next level.

Strong Safety

Ryan Neal was a bust and the Bucs will be moving on from him this offseason. Tampa Bay needs to find a complement to Antoine Winfield Jr. either in free agency or the draft – both are loaded at the position. The Bucs wouldn’t mind reuniting with Jordan Whitehead if the price was right, but Winfield would have to be willing to take a big pay cut to return to Tampa Bay.

The Bucs have a couple of in-house candidates in Kaevon Merriweather and Christian Izien, who started all 17 games at nickelback last year, but played some strong safety at Rutgers. He’s built like Winfield and Whitehead.

Inside Linebacker

The Bucs are not re-signing former first-round pick Devin White after two very inconsistent and disappointing seasons. This position becomes super-prioritized if free agent Lavonte David doesn’t return. Losing one starting inside linebacker is one thing, but Todd Bowles can’t fathom losing both of his starters in the same offseason. David needs to return, but the Bucs could sign a value free agent like Buffalo’s Tyrel Dodson or Houston’s Blake Cashman.

Tampa Bay has some in-house candidates to replace White, including K.J. Britt, who is entering a contract year. Britt actually unseated White as a starter down the stretch last year. J.J. Russell is another option and performed well in his lone start in place of White last year versus Carolina. SirVocea Dennis will also be in the mix, but he’s better suited to eventually replace David at Mo linebacker rather than play Mike linebacker.

Running Back

Chase Edmonds is a free agent and the Bucs have mentioned his possible return on another one-year deal. But Tampa Bay needs more talent in the backfield behind Rachaad White in case he gets injured. The Bucs were lucky that White was healthy for all 17 games as there was a big drop off in talent on the depth chart.

Ke’Shawn Vaughn was cut last year and the Bucs could sign another running back in free agency and still draft one in April. Sean Tucker is back for another season, but was seldom used as a rookie and is not a lock to make the team.